WHAT IS INDECENT?

The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments from broadcast television stations on the topic of what is indecency and whether the FCC should be regulating broadcast stations when cable tv is less regulated.

The arguments have been limited, as I understand it, to fines for brief partial nudity and the slipping of f and s bombs on live broadcasts.

But what about so-called “reality tv” shows – both broadcast and cable.  These steaming piles of excrement do more damage to society in general and our youth in particular than any wardrobe malfunction or slip of the tongue.

As a writer with what I believe is something to say I am generally against censorship and a supporter of free speech.

But those appearing on reality tv shows can barely utter the King’s English let alone have something to say, other than “Hey, look at me.  I’m an idiot!”

We are just now beginning to understand the damage done to society by this type of reality tv.

Data compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that In the US there has been an incredible 59% increase in plastic surgery from the year 2000 to 2008.

Shows like THE JERSEY SHORE and THE REAL WORLD that glorify drunken promiscuity and fighting as the norm for settling disputes certainly tell impressionable young viewers that such behavior is acceptable.

A news item recently reported –

“The Girls Scouts are warning of the dangers of reality TV after a study by the Girl Scouts Research Institute concluded that reality shows are having a negative effect on young women, TMZ.com reports.

The study found that reality television ‘more frequently portrays girls and women in competition with one another rather than in support or collaboration. This perpetuates a 'mean-girl' stereotype and normalizes this behavior among girls,’ the story reports.”

The study concluded: “Teen girls who regularly view reality TV accept and expect a higher level of drama, aggression, and bullying in their own lives, and measure their worth primarily by their physical appearance."

And the monetary rewards and media attention paid to reality tv “performers” such as the Kardashians and Spookie and the other sluts and skanks of THE JERSEY SHORE and similar crap shows that one does not need intelligence or ability or talent or hard work or courtesy or common sense or self-respect to be successful – all you need to do is drink to excess, have sex with anything that moves, and basically just act like an idiot.

  

WHAT’S THE BUZZ, TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’

I trust everyone had a “successful” Thanksgiving. 

Just wanted to say that I am thankful for my fellow tax bloggers – Joe, Jason, Kelly, Kay, Russ, Bill, Jean, Jim, Peter, Trish, etc - who help to keep me up-to-date on new tax developments.  Wandering the tax blogosphere is often better than CPE classes.

Despite the holiday today’s BUZZ is “so meaty”.

* In “End of Year Legislative Agenda” at JD Supra Business Advisor we are told (highlights are mine) –

“With the House and Senate in recess this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, there are now only a very limited number of scheduled legislative days left for the year – 12 in the House and 15 in the Senate – and there is increasing talk that both chambers will leave for the holidays by Friday, December 11th, which would mean even fewer days.”

That does not leave much time for the incompetents in Congress to pass legislation to extend the “tax extenders”.  To repeat what I said in the last BUZZ installment –

Hey, you incompetent idiots, shit or get off the pot!  Each and every one of you should be thrown out of office for not doing your job properly!

* Only a few days left to take advantage of my “Special November Offer”.  Get your check in the mail today!

* Jim Blankenship discusses some “Inter-Family Loan Topics" at GETTING YOUR FINANCIAL DUCKS IN A ROW.

Some good advice (highlights are mine) –

“If you decide to go through with the loan, make sure expectations on both sides are clear. Discuss all terms and conditions and consider putting them in writing. You may even want to {I say should – rdf} draft a formal loan agreement. At the very least, settle on the amount of each loan payment and the date by which the loan must be paid in full. Open-ended obligations inevitably lead to misunderstandings.

On the other hand, don’t feel guilty if you decide to turn down your family member’s loan request. It’s hard to say no, but it’s still easier than repairing a damaged relationship if things don’t work out.”

When it comes to loans to family or friends I agree with the Bard – “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”

* Have you seen “The Gentleman Is A Dope (‘Gentleman’ Is Perhaps Too Kind)” at BOBSERVATIONS yet?  Can you guess who the “dope” is?

* A guest post at FORBES.COM from Scott T. Hanson, CFP explains “Social Security At Age 62? Why Delaying Your Benefits May Not Pay Off”.

Contrary to what most financial writers say, Scott suggests –

“While it may be beneficial for many folks to wait until age 66 or even age 70, for those who have done a great job saving for retirement, it might be best to start Social Security as soon as possible–maybe even as young as age 62.”

* Attention tax pros - a free offer for the premiere issue of my new quarterly e-magazine THE TAX PROFESSIONAL (coming in January 2016) – see my website THE TAX PROFESSIONAL.

* Kelly Phillips Erb, FORBES.COM’s TaxGirl, reminds us that her annual “12 Days Of Charitable Giving 2015 Starts Soon” –

“As I do every year, I’m asking readers to submit, via email (charity@taxgirl.com) the name of a charity which deserves a mention this year for the 12 Days Of Charitable Giving. Ideally, it would be one that you have supported financially over the past year or that you plan to support before the year end. In addition to the name, I’ll need the city where the charity is located, what it does and why you support the charity (a personal story would be great). Please also link to the website if the organization has one (Facebook FB -0.94% is okay, too): the more information that you can provide, the better.”

* And Kelly warns us “Don't Try This At Home: Avoid These 10 Money Missteps That Landed Reality TV Stars In Trouble”.

I am against calling featured participants in reality tv excrement “stars” (just as the title “Dancing With the Stars” should really be “Dancing With Celebrities”).  The term “star” seems to indicate some kind of quality or talent - and reality tv "featured participants" have neither.  {FYI - when I refer to reality tv excrement I do not include the various talent competitions}.

As for making money mistakes, by very definition narcissistic willing “featured participants” in reality tv excrement have minimal, if any, intelligence, and have made bad life decisions merely by choosing to appear in reality garbage.

And as for Kelly’s title, no one should ever attempt to emulate anything about reality tv idiots!

* Before I leave the topic of charities, and narcissists – we haven’t heard much from or about Al Sharpton lately (thankfully), but Robert Wood, also from FORBES.COM, tells us “Al Sharpton's Charity Hikes His Pay 71%, But Tax Liens, Clinton Imprint Remain” (highlights are mine) -

“Al Sharpton was in the news again, this time over giving himself a 71% raise. Rev. Sharpton is the president of National Action Network–NAN for short. It is a civil rights organization with chapters and affiliates across America. NAN collected a tidy $6.9 million in 2014, up $2 million from the prior year.”

And –

“Still, the nice uptick in donations evidently left a cushion to increase Rev. Sharpton’s pay from $241,545 to $412,644, including a bonus of $64,400.”

RW goes on to remind us of Sharpton’s, and his charity’s, continuing tax issues.

* Russ Fox of TAXABLE TALK reports “IRS Increases De Minimis Expense Threshold to $2,500 from $500 for 2016 Onward” –

“The IRS today announced that the de minimis expense threshhold for small taxpayers (which is the vast majority of all taxpayers) to $2,500 from $500 for tax years 2016 onward. Note that this does not apply for 2015 returns filed in 2016. This move will allow taxpayers to expense many items that currently must be depreciated.”

* Jason Dinesen provides advice and information “From the Archives” with “Home Offices, Principal Place of Business, and Mileage Deductions” at DINESEN TAX TIMES.

* Let me end with some timely advice from Barry Fowler at TAX CONNECTIONS – “Don’t Be Scammed By Fake Charities”.

THE FINAL WORD –

+ Here is a belated quick, but very important, reminder for journalists, columnists, and personal finance bloggers who will be talking about year-end tax-planning during the next several weeks.

Whenever writing about year-end tax strategies or techniques DO NOT give the advice “consult your CPA”.  THIS IS WRONG ADVICE!

The CORRECT ADVICE is “consult your tax professional”.

While an individual CPA may be a tax professional, CPA does NOT = tax professional.

+ And I cannot leave without at least one Donald Trump item – in this case a excellent editorial from by Christopher M. Halleron, Editor/Publisher of Hudson County NJ based hMAG titled “‘Thousands of People Were Cheering’ — Donald Trump and the Absence of Decency”, which correctly observes –

“Recent statements by Donald Trump show the frightening application of willful ignorance.”

 

And –

“So far Trump’s own aesthetic buffoonery has made him an easy target for cheap laughs. But as comics take clichéd cracks at his signature clown coiffure, one can’t help but wonder if Weimar-era pundits were too focused on facial hair to comprehend the face of evil wearing it.”

Christopher is spot on when he says of the Donald –

“And make no mistake, he has no sense of decency.”

It still amazes me that anyone in their right mind would ever seriously consider voting for Tronald Dump for President, let alone dog catcher.

TTFN

REALITY SUCKS!

I wish someone would explain to me why the great unwashed masses are so fascinated by watching people with limited intelligence and no self-respect behave badly in airports, in the jungle or on a deserted island, in courtrooms, on the runway or at a photo shoot, in a boardroom sucking up to an over-exposed and self-absorbed millionaire, losing weight, in restaurant kitchens, in tattoo parlors, or supposedly looking for a mate.

Once upon a time television, while not always succeeding, at least attempted to entertain, enlighten and educate. That is apparently not the case any more.

Watching an aging Mafia princess fail miserably in her attempts to raise unintelligible sons is neither art nor entertainment.

Watching D, E and F list celebrity has-beens and never-weres, or brain-dead college drop-outs, living together is not entertaining, enlightening or educational.

The only thing worse than being Bobby Brown is watching Bobby Brown.

Family therapy, discussing your problems in private with a qualified professional who can offer constructive advice, is very helpful and therapeutic. However, a couple telling all on national tv while a self-important jury consultant puffs up his own ego by wagging his finger at them is not entertaining, enlightening or educational.

An aging former child star going through rehab on television is much more painful for those who watch it than it is for the actual patient himself.

Contestants drinking worm puree or eating bugs or, for the special Christmas episode, reindeer testicles is just plain sick.

Most of these programs are of the genre incorrectly referred to as “reality tv”. While the motto of the father of reality programs is “Outwit, Outplay and Outlast”, the real motto of the reality tv genre is “Embarrass, Humiliate and Abuse”.

These programs do much more damage than a brief “wardrobe malfunction” or a slip of the tongue at an awards show. What do they teach our youth – that greed is good, money is more important than self-respect or human dignity, and it is acceptable to publicly humiliate people.

Years ago the criteria for determining if a book or movie was pornography was the lack of any “socially redeeming value”. I dare anyone out there to show me any socially redeeming value in this excrement.

One of the programs in this category was a show called THE BIGGEST LOSER. Just who is the biggest loser when it comes to “reality tv”?

It goes without saying that those who participate as contestants on a reality program, and those who actually watch the garbage, are indeed losers, in every sense of the word. Also on the list of losers are the multitude of actors, writers, directors, and other creative personnel who are unemployed as a result of “reality tv”.

But the biggest losers are those of us who recognize the genre for the crap that it truly is, and therefore avoid it like the plague. For every hour of reality programming that pollutes the airwaves we are deprived of an hour of real television drama, comedy, documentary or news programming. By putting shows like BIG BROTHER on its prime time schedule, CBS has denied us what may have been the next ALL IN THE FAMILY, MASH, THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW, HILL STREET BLUES, THE COSBY SHOW, or 60 MINUTES.

The only winners in “realty tv” are the networks and the shows’ producers, who are laughing all the way to the bank!

TTFN

WHILE I WAS OUT

I hope to have everything back to normal next week!

While I was out of touch with the internet and the tax blog-o-sphere, due to my computer’s bout with diarrhea, a lot was going on, although not much on the tax front.

* The big news, of course, was our visit from Irene.

Listening to tv and radio on Saturday you would think the end of the world was coming! I suppose this is one situation where it is “more better” for the government over-react than under-react. All I had was a little rain on Saturday and Sunday. No flooding or power outage in my building. No inconvenience at all.

My regular bi-weekly visit to the burbs to do payroll and pay bills for a client, scheduled for Sunday, was changed to Saturday. I stayed in all day Sunday, mostly watching the tube. I was disappointed that my regular Sunday shows on WNYC-FM, Jonathan Schwartz and “Wait, Wait. Don’t Tell Me”, were pre-empted for special Irene coverage.

Thanks to fellow tax bloggers Bruce (THE MISSOURI TAX GUY) and Joe (the ROTH AND COMPANY TAX UPDATE BLOG) for their tweet-expressed concerns.

* Speaking of Joe Kristan, a CPA, he offered a rebuttal to my guest post on tax preparer regulation at Peter Reilly’s FORBES blog in a guest post at PR’s FORBES blog (see “Preparer Registration Wastes Time and Money – Guest Post by Joe Kristan”). As Peter , who apparently just stands “in awe and wonder” at me, put it – “Joe . . . has the temerity to disagree with The Pro on an issue near to his heart”.

Joe says in his post that “competency testing and CPE are weak insurance against incompetent and venal preparers”. While I agree, and have so said often (and am quoted by Joe in his post as so saying), that competency and CPE will not insure the public against crooked and unethical preparers, I do believe it will provide some insurance against incompetent and untrained preparers.

While I may somewhat agree with what Joe is saying about the questionability of the serious benefits of licensing in general, it is a fact of life and we must grin and bear it. And from the point of view of the taxpayer public, it is much more likely that a tax return prepared by a person who (when the regime is fully phased in) has the initials RTRP (Registered Tax Return Preparer), or EA, after his/her name will be accurate than one prepared by someone who does not.

Peter adds another reason for implementing the registration regime in his response to Joe’s arguments –

“The IRS can take administrative action against people with tickets like EA and CPA but in order to encourage the worst unenrolled preparers to take up another trade they have had {before the new regulation – rdf} to sue for an injunction in federal district court.”

* Back to Irene – while I did not personally suffer any consequences from her, there was much damage and loss in New Jersey and New York. For information on federal tax relief click here for New Jersey and here for New York. I have found nothing on the NJ Division of Taxation website about state tax relief yet.

* A “Pardon Our Planet” by Vic Lee entry that was very appropriate for the State of New Jersey appeared in the comic section of the Star Ledger last week. A speaker at a press conference was announcing -

“We negotiated a compromise with the State Legislature. They’ve agreed to let us post the Ten Commandments if we agree to take out the ‘Thou Shall Not Steal’ part.”

A similarly “right on” political cartoon, from Bruce Plante of Tulsa World, appeared in Monday’s USA TODAY. Here a newscaster is reporting from in front of the Washington Monument –

“First, an earthquake and now a hurricane . . . Washington has come to a virtual standstill. So, Bob, things are completely unchanged here.”

* I received a flyer in the mail for the 14^th season of MUSICALS TONIGHT!, a series of revivals held at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row at 410 West 42^nd Street in NYC. The flyer included a descriptive quote from NYTheatre.com –

“Musicals Tonight! Is the best and most economical way for musical theatre fans to satisfy their urges to see the forgotten and ignored touchstones of the art.”

This was the first I had heard of this program. This is one time I am glad that non-profits sell their mailing lists.

The 2011-2012 season includes Jerry Herman’s first Broadway offering (MILK AND HONEY October 11-23), Mel Brooks first musical (he wrote the book), with music and lyrics by Strouse and Adams (ALL AMERICAN October 23–November 6), the first musical adapted from a Sunday comic strip, with witty lyrics by Johnny Mercer (LI’L ABNER March 20-April 1), and forgotten musicals from Jerome Kern (SITTING PRETTY April 17-29) and Cole Porter (FOR THE BOYS May 1-13).

Subscriptions are available at $125.00 for all 5 musicals! I have already sent in my order.

The shows have two weekday and Sunday matinees and, a plus for many, the 88-seat Lion Theatre has no steps! Single tickets, at $26.25 each, will not be available until after Labor Day.

For more information click here, email ContactUs@MusicalsTonight.org, or call 212-362-5620.

* What is wrong with Americans? It seems that the great unwashed masses are dumber than I had anticipated. The members of Congress are not the only idiots out there.

USA TODAY reported on the Top 5 original summer series on Cable TV – and guess what was number one!

It seems that Americans would rather watch a steaming pile of excrement, with no entertainment value whatsoever, that consists of brain dead sluts and skanks (of both sexes) drinking, cursing, fornicating, and fighting in great excess instead of watching legitimate scripted stories that actually reflect “real” human character and emotion.

Here is the Top 5:

1.The Jersey Shore

2. Rizzoli and Isles

3. The Closer

4. Pawn Stars

5. Falling Sky

I am glad to see only one piece of excrement on the list. While “Pawn Stars” is technically a “reality show”, it apparently is not what I would identify as being of the “reality tv” genre. From what I hear I think it is somewhat “Antiques Roadshow-esque”.

Anyone with any wit and intelligence would not be able to sit through one entire episode of “The Jersey Shore”, let alone return each week.

This is surely a sign of the end of civilization. In the very least it is an example of the “Dumbing Down of America”.

* While on the subject – USA TODAY’s Critic’s Corner reported on a new reality tv show premiering on MTV (MTV and VH1 produce the most volume of soft core porn reality tv steaming piles of excrement, with E! a close third). The title of the show is the ultimate description of a reality tv program – RIDICULOUSNESS.

* And for the trifecta - reality tv cafone Kim Kardashian got married. I do believe I heard one morning show make a comparison to the recent royal wedding. How ridiculous!

Kardashian is an excellent example of someone who is famous for being famous – and not for any talent, ability or action - like fellow spoiled bitch Paris Hilton and self-important fool, and frequent stockholder-screwer, Donald Trump.

The only talent that Kardashian has displayed is a proficiency for doing “the Lewinsky”, as demonstrated in her internet sex tape. Of course having a sex tape, and a semi-famous parent and step-parent, qualifies her to star in a soft core porn reality tv piece of excrement.

What is my reaction to Kardashian and her nuptials? Let me borrow the initials of a local towing company that came to the aid of a friend when his car broke down many years ago – IDGAF!

{Riding in the cab of the tow truck my friend wondered about the name of the towing company. Did the initials represent the names of the individual partners in the business – perhaps Igor, David, Gary, Andy, and Frank? He asked the driver and was told that IDGAF stood for “I don’t give a f---“.}

I look forward to getting back to wandering the web and blogging.

TTFN

WHAT’S THE BUZZ, TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’?

Not much tax news this week.  But as I always say, some BUZZ is better than no BUZZ.

* FORBES.COM’s Tax Girl Kelly Phillips Erb reports “Reality TV Stars Todd & Julie Chrisley Hit With Multiple Charges, Including Tax Evasion”.

No surprise here.  Nobody ever said reality tv “stars” had any morals, ethics, honesty, or even intelligence.  Actually, a lack of these qualities appears to be a requirement for the “position”.

Ever since ads for “Chrisley Knows Best”, which Kelly’s post proves to be an untrue title statement, first appeared I have been asking who this self-absorbed moron Chrisley was and why anyone would give a rat’s hind quarters about him or his family.  Kelly’s piece does nothing to answer my questions.

Will a subsequent season of idiot Chrisley’s tv show be filmed in prison? 

Want to know what I think about what is erroneously referred to as “reality tv”?  Check out my BOBSERVATIONS post “Reality (TV) Sucks”.

* Speaking of my BOBSERVATIONS blog, I have a new post about remembering Woodstock on its 50^th anniversary.  Click here to check it out – and please share with your friends and family.

* The TAX FOUNDATION asks, and answers, the question “Does Your State Have a Marriage Penalty?”.

New Jersey = yes (it is very often better for married couples to file a separate NJ state income tax return)

Pennsylvania = no (all income is taxed at a flat rate and there are no exemptions)

New York = yes

THE FINAL WORD

When will people understand that abortion rights, or same-sex marriage, is NOT a conservative issue – it is a religious issue.

Conservative philosophy believes that the government should have minimal involvement in the personal and business life of the individual citizen. A major tenant of conservatism is to protect & maximize individual rights. The religious right and so-called “evangelicals” want the government to tell individuals how to live their lives by legislating the specific religious beliefs of a specific sect or Christianity.

Evangelicals and the religious right are NOT conservatives.

TTFN

WISE WORDS FROM THE BRITISH BENCH

I have been enjoying watching “Judge John Deed” via my Netflix subscription.  It is a British legal television drama about a High Court judge produced by the BBC and starring Martin Shaw as the judge and Jenny Seagrove as a barrister that ran from January 2001 to January 2007.

The most recent episode I watched, titled “Popular Appeal”, involved something I predicted would happen years ago - an angry contestant in a British “Reality TV” show called “The Dungeon” kills another competitor on camera, and the show's producers face charges of manslaughter in Deed's court. The prosecution contends that they acted recklessly and engineered conflict in order to get higher ratings.

While some of the legal aspects of the series may be questionable, it is a great show, good tv drama.  This was a good episode and certainly hit the nail on the head when it comes to the steaming pile of excrement known as reality tv (which began in England and Europe before infecting American airwaves).

A psychiatrist working for the station that airs the show testifies that the producers purposely look for psychologically flawed “contestants” who can be easily manipulated and angered (no news there).   

Judge Deed, speaking to the producer of a reality TV show after the jury has returned its verdict, provides one of the best descriptions ever of so-called “reality tv”, and the making of its pathetic “stars” into “celebrities” (the highlight is mine) –

“Celebrity: the pursuit of the talentless by the mindless. It's a common disease of the twenty-first century. It pollutes our society, and diminishes all who seek it and all who worship it, and you must bear part of the responsibility for foisting this empty nonsense onto a gullible public.”

What ever happened to broadcast stations’ “Standards and Practices”?  These station functions tried to censure political protest on THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS SHOW and were shocked with the Super Bowl halftime “wardrobe malfunction” of a few years ago – yet they allow this much more potentially dangerous garbage to air unchecked!

TTFN

WHAT’S THE BUZZ, TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’?

* The TAX FOUNDATION explains what is no surprise to me in “A Growing Percentage of Americans Have Zero Income Tax Liability”.

“Despite occasional dips, the trend has been an increase in the percentage of nonpayers {taxpayers who owe zero income taxes after taking their credits and deductions} from 28 percent in 1950 to 33.4 percent in 2016.”

“As policymakers debate narrow taxes on small groups of individuals, they should keep in mind that the income tax base itself has been narrowing for decades, as more and more people pay no income taxes. Tax credits continue to shrink the tax base and raise the percentage of nonpayers. If policymakers want to increase revenue significantly, they will have to look to broad-based taxes that fall on everyone, rather than targeted taxes on select groups.”

Many taxpayers actually “make a profit” by filing a Form 1040 – receiving a refund of more than the amount, if any, that they paid in.  And often fraudulently.  This is due to the various “refundable” tax credits available.

I have always opposed using the Form 1040 to distribute government welfare and other benefit program benefits, especially via refundable credits.  And I believe every American who is no longer a full-time high school or college student should pay some income tax – even if only $100.  A true “minimum tax”.

* Kay Bell tells us “Grassley makes a case for tax extenders, which were omitted from budget deal” at DON’T MESS WITH TAXES.

Let’s get this straight once and for all –

(1) Perpetual “tax extenders” is a stupid policy.  If a deduction or credit is appropriate it should be made part of permanent tax law.  The Republicans in Congress did not consider these extenders to be appropriate when writing and passing the GOP Tax Act – or actually the people who wrote the law did not (no Republican in Congress actually read the entire Act, and neither did any Democrat, because they were told to vote against it regardless of what was in it).

(2) Making the tax extenders, or any tax law, retroactive to a year that has come and gone, requiring tons of amended returns, is even worse tax policy and should NEVER be done.

(3) Most, if not all, of the tax extenders are not “appropriate” and do not deserve to be extended, as they are specific “loopholes” for specific industries and taxpayers.

Got it?

* Tony Nitti returns after a 2-month hiatus and brings back “Tax Geek Tuesday” at FORBES.COM with “You Sold Your House – Is the Gain Taxable?”.

* Also at FORBES.COM, TaxGirl Kelly Phillips Erb reports “IRS Issues Guidance On Preventive Care And Health Savings Account Plans” –

“The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has added treatments for a range of chronic conditions to the list of preventive care benefits that may be provided by a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) in tandem with a health savings account (HSA).”

THE LAST WORD

What does so-called “reality tv” do?

It takes greedy self-absorbed individuals, totally devoid of self-respect and common sense and with questionable intelligence, puts them in unnatural situations, encourages them to act outrageously, and films everything they do.

This is not entertainment, and certainly has nothing to do with “reality”.

Reality tv is a partial cause of, and a continuing result of, the “dumbing down of America”.

If you don’t think reality tv is dangerous – remember that the undeserved credibility and celebrity provided by “The Apprentice” is a major reason we currently have a tv cartoon clown in the White House.

TTFN

I COULD NOT HELP MYSELF

I thought I had come up with the perfect description of the misnamed genre known as “reality tv”.

In this recent BUZZ comment I apply the description as a kind of reverse synonym –

“Any firm that GUARANTEES to resolve your tax debt for pennies on the dollar is full of reality tv.”

Alan Sepinwall has come up with the #2 (no pun intended) description – “Disgusting Freaks on Parade” – in his announcement of the premiere of a new VH-1 arse-dropping titled YOU’RE CUT OFF. The titled refers to what is done to a source of income, and not what most of us would love to have done to the males who populate reality tv shows.

The new show is another “parade” of self-absorbed brain-dead idiots showing off how badly they can behave.

There is no doubt that the world would be a better place if the fathers of those who appear on these displays of “disgusting freaks on parade” had done what the Vietnam War protesters of my teen years wished Nixon’s father had done.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’

* Not about taxes, but . . . a client who was without power at home thanks to SANDY stayed at a motel in North Bergen and complained to me about price gouging.  There is apparently something that is being done about this issue, as per this item from NJ.COM titled “N.J. Attorney General Files 10 More Sandy Price-Gouging Suits Including West Windsor Hotel”.  I think the motel my client stayed at in on the list.   

* And from ENTERTAINMENT ON TODAY “Reality Check for Reality TV Fans: You're More Neurotic”.

“TODAY.com surveyed nearly 19,000 people and found those who watch reality TV consider themselves more extroverted, more neurotic, and say that they have lower self-esteem than folks who aren’t fans of the genre.”

No surprise here – “the survey revealed that some viewers actively turn to reality shows to make them feel better about their own lives.”

According to psychiatrist and frequent TODAY contributor Dr. Gail Saltz (highlight is mine) –

"That’s clearly about schadenfreude -- taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.  On the one hand, what’s wrong with feeling a little better about your house when you see someone on TV with a mess and 50 cats? On the other, it’s not a helpful defense mechanism when you have your own things going on that you should be attending to.”

As I have thought all along - the members of Congress are not the only idiots out there.

* Tax pros, be sure to check out my THE TAX PROFESSIONAL post on “The NATP Annual Tax Update Seminar” .

* More proof that they are idiots (Congresspersons, that is).  NBC reports “Congress to Make History -- But for the Wrong Reason” -

“By passing just 196 bills into law so far, it is in the running to become the least productive Congress since the 1940s.

In fact, that amount is 710 fewer public laws than was produced by the 80th Congress (from 1947-48), which first earned the moniker ‘Do-Nothing’ Congress.”

* Great advice from Trish McIntire at OUR TAXING TIMES – “You Can't and You Shouldn't” -

“I just took a call from someone asking if once he gets his final check for the year (and accompanying check stub) if he can file his tax return. No he can’t and neither can you.

The IRS requires that a copy of the W-2 must be attached with a paper filed return and a copy of the W-2 must be kept with the signature sheet of any electronically filed return. You have to wait until you receive all your W-2s and other informational documents to file your returns.”

As Trish points out in the post, the caller was thinking about “an ad they’ve heard on television about a using a paystub to get a holiday loan”.  These holiday loans gouge you with high fees and more often than not are just attempts to rip you off.  Like Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL), avoid these usurious products.

* I was once again included in TAXPRO TODAY’s “Recent highlights from some of our favorite tax bloggers” via “Gone to the Blogs”.

* TAXBRAIN offers advice on “Moving Expenses – What You Can Deduct When You Relocate for Your Job”.  

* YAHOO FINANCE lists “The Best - and Worst - Run States in America” according to a 24/7 Wall St survey.  NJ is not, like Oliver Twist, last on the list – but it is among the 5 worst at #46.      

“The state’s median household income and poverty rate were both third best in the nation. On the other hand, the state’s tax burden on its residents was second highest in the U.S. in 2010. Residents paid 12.4% of their income in state and local taxes, higher than any other state except New York.”

* At the Tax Foundation’s TAX POLICY BLOG Scott Hodge tells us “Buffett's Case for Minimum Tax on the Rich Fails on All Accounts”.  

* And the TAX POLICY BLOG reminds us that “The Tax Rate Paid by the Top 1% Is Double the National Average”.

* The TAX POLICY CENTER has a new “Fiscal Cliff Tax Calculator” that lets users “examine the effects of four potential outcomes of negotiations over the upcoming fiscal cliff”.

* The Beyond 4/15 IRS ALERTS blog reminds us that “It’s CP2000 Season” -

“In the first week of December, the IRS starts the first of two rounds of underreporter inquiries for 2011 Forms 1040. Last year, the IRS sent 4.7 million CP2000 notices to taxpayers. For 2012, the IRS has reformatted the CP2000 notice to make it easier to understand. Although the letter format changed, there were no procedural changes in responding to CP2000 notices.

This year, the IRS also began an underreporter program for businesses: the CP2030/2531 program for business underreporting. In this program, the IRS is matching Forms 1099 to business returns and is proposing adjustments to the return. According to the IRS, these letters started at the beginning of October. The Internal Revenue Manual was also updated in October to reflect the new program.”

I do believe that I had already seen, and responded to, CP-2000 notices from clients for 2011 returns earlier in the year.

As I say time and again – more than half of all notices received from the IRS or a state tax agency are INCORRECT.  If you receive a notice from the IRS or your resident or non-resident state give/send it to your tax preparer IMMEDIATELY.

* Hey, dude, where’s my check?  The “IRS Seeks to Return Undelivered Checks to Taxpayers; Recommends e-file, Direct Deposit to Avoid Future DeliveryProblems”.

“Taxpayers who did not get their refund in the mail as expected and believe their refund check may have been returned to the IRS should use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of “Where’s My Refund?” by calling 1-800-829-1954.”

The release also reminds us (very important – highlight is mine) –

“Taxpayers should be aware that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by e-mail. E-mail informing taxpayers of pending tax refunds and asking for personal information are phishing scams. The agency urges taxpayers receiving such messages not to release any personal information, reply, open any attachments or click on any links to avoid malicious code that can infect their computers.”

* Check out The Tax Foundation’s “Weekly Tax Update”.

* I began with a timely non-tax issue – so let’s end with one.  Angela Colley provides “30 Tips to Save $500 by Christmas” at MONEYTALK NEWS.

Personally, I do not believe in #8 – Haggle.

THE FINAL WORD

If I ever have the misfortune of meeting Donald Trump I would give him the following advice –

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

There is no doubt that “the Donald” is a fool!

TTFN

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’ – WEDNESDAY EDITION

+ Check out the December issue of LOIS.

+ And check out my “slide show” on “10 Tax Deductions to Squeeze In Before 2012” at MAINSTREET.COM.

+ Dianne Besunder of the IRS echoes the advice I am frequently giving when she answers the question “I've Changed My Name.  Now What?” in her IRS TAX TIPS column at the BED-STY PATCH.

+ Kay Bell discusses a timely tax issue in “Holiday Gift from an Employer: Taxable Benefit or Tax-Free Gift?” at DON’T MESS WITH TAXES.

+ And did you catch Kay’s latest tax carnival – “Tax Carnival #93: Happy Taxmas 2011”?  I just made it in time to be included.

A heads up to tax bloggers – Kay tells us “The 94th Tax Carnival will be here on Jan. 2 to help you nurse New Year's celebration hangovers by getting a head start on the 2012 filing season.”

+ Dr Jean Murray says that, “Probably the most-commented-on article I've ever written is the one about cutting employees pay.”  She goes on to revisit the subject in “Employers Can't Cut Pay Without Employee Consent” at ABOUT.COM:US BUSINESS LAW/TAXES.

+ I seem to recall mentioning recently that Tronald Dump had been quiet lately (and thanking God for the blessing).  I had not heard that the self-absorbed fool was planning to “host” a Republican debate. 

I enjoyed reading “Karl Rove to RNC Chair: Stop The Donald’s Debate” at the WASHINGTON POST.

The article reported –

“Karl Rove blasted Donald Trump this weekend, saying his upcoming Newsmax debate host gig is a big ‘ego trip’ for the real-estate mogul and reality-show host, and that the Republican National Committee should discourage the 2012 GOP candidates from attending.”

It is hard for me to believe that I would ever agree with Karl Rove!  It appears that recognition of Trump’s idiocy and ginormous ego transcends political philosophies and is truly bi-partisan.

Reading the reaction of some of the candidates to the event, and its host, quoted in the article I was pleased to see them correctly agreeing on something, and actually make sense on an issue.

Speaking of the Donald being a “reality show host” – it seems to me that the Republican debates have become a kind of weekly reality show.

+ David Weigel has more on the subject in “It Will Shock You to Learn That Donald Trump Is Selling a New Book” at his SLATE.COM blog.

The only thing that would shock me about the Dumpster is hearing that he actually did something that was not totally self-serving.

+ Good luck to Russ Fox of TAXABLE TALK, who explains in “When Silver is Better than Gold” that he is moving from expensive California to more business-friendly and less taxing Nevada, joining many others in giving up the 10% state income tax of CA.

One reason for the move –

“I’ve sold my house in Irvine, and am in the process of purchasing a home in the Las Vegas area. I will be in a much friendlier business environment, with a lower cost of living. The home I’m purchasing is nearly double the size of my current home and costs almost 50% less than what I sold my current home for.”

I, too, have been thinking about leaving my highly-taxed home state of New Jersey and moving to Pike County in Pennsylvania.  I plan to investigate the move more seriously after the end of the upcoming 2012 tax filing season.  It should not affect my business – as at least 75% of my clients mail their tax “stuff” to me.

Russ, best wishes for success in your new location!

THE FINAL WORD:

I have accepted the death of the “variety” tv genre, despite, or perhaps as a result of, occasional pathetic bottom of the barrel attempts at revival by lesbian comics/talk show hosts (past and present). 

What passes for variety today are clones and adaptations of British talent competitions, which, let’s be honest, are all to some degree based on the reality tv concept of humiliation (at least half of those who tune in to DWTS do so hoping to see one of the celebrities – the contestants rarely come close to being described as “stars” – fall flat on their arse).

The only place to find real variety tv today is on PBS, usually in the form of reruns or compilations.  I enjoy the weekly rebroadcasts of THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW on WLIW and NJTV, and wish that more classic variety shows would be rerun on public tv.

As the holiday season is now with us I truly miss the annual variety specials of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Perry Como, Andy Williams and the like, and also miss the days when true variety shows filled the airwaves.  I hear Michael Buble has one coming up soon – so maybe there is hope.

TTFN